Hello all! I'm new here :) '65 Alpine Mk.4 1725cc

[sierra_alpine]

Hello all,

Just introducing myself to the community. I recently acquired my first sunbeam which is a 1965 Series 4. It is a good driver car not a show car. Actually, maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I need a shop to repair the transmission...3rd gear pops out on deceleration, I'm guessing bad synchro. Where should I take the tranny to have that repaired? I'm located in Placerville which is about half way between sacramento and south lake tahoe.

Anyway looking forward to making some new Alpine friends, anyone in my area?


Thanks
Luke Anker

 

[HolyCat]

Hi Luke!
Nice looking Alpine. Sorry I can't help with a good tranny shop in your area, but I hope someone in your neck of the woods can help out. It is nice to see Alpines, especially those as clean as yours. Back when C.A.T. held meetings (pre-COVID), I ALWAYS liked checking out any Alpines in the parking lot.

Good luck with your tranny!
David

 

[michael-king]

Luke,
Nice car, it is most likely a worn syncro if popping out on deceleration.. Could be detent but then it would likely jump just after going in.

If the trans is a 4 speed id seriously look at getting an overdrive trans for it. Its the most transformative change you can makes for usability and driving improvement.

Jeff Haworth in the UK will sell you a fully rebuilt kit... Rebuilt OD box, speedo, relay. Switch and tailshaft... If you have the funds i strongly recommend buying one.

If you want his details i can give them to you

 

[Warren]

Jeff is a forum member. The system will work better with a real n added not better yet adding Jeff as a resource. Click on the share button and send the thread to Jeff much easier that playing 411 operator

Welcome very finely detailed engine bay.

 

[sierra_alpine]

Luke,
Nice car, it is most likely a worn syncro if popping out on deceleration.. Could be detent but then it would likely jump just after going in.

If the trans is a 4 speed id seriously look at getting an overdrive trans for it. Its the most transformative change you can makes for usability and driving improvement.

Jeff Haworth in the UK will sell you a fully rebuilt kit... Rebuilt OD box, speedo, relay. Switch and tailshaft... If you have the funds i strongly recommend buying one.

If you want his details i can give them to you

That sounds interesting, ballpark what does that kit cost ?

 

[Jimjordan2]

Hello Luke, your Alpine looks real nice. I'm interested in the block number of your engine. And I'm interested in how it runs. I think that may have been one of my engines.

Jim

 

[sierra_alpine]

Hello Luke, your Alpine looks real nice. I'm interested in the block number of your engine. And I'm interested in how it runs. I think that may have been one of my engines.

Jim

Hi Jim oh that would be fun if it was. It runs pretty well actually, the carb needs adjustment so I'm taking it to a local classic car shot to have that all tuned up and the choke attached to the weber conversion. Here's a few more shots of the engine bay. Looks like the block number is B395010252 RX?

 

[CLIFF_MK1]

I thought with Weber carbs, you don't need a choke. Just give it one or more pumps? Cliff

 

[sierra_alpine]

I thought with Weber carbs, you don't need a choke. Just give it one or more pumps? Cliff

I have no idea. I'm a newbie alpine owner! Haha

 

[65beam]

It looks like his carb has an electric choke. It's hard to see the cable in this photo but it uses the original choke cable

. The Weber 32/36 DGV I use on my cars have manual chokes.

 

[venice532]

Hi Luke, thanks for posting pictures of your alpine, it's a very nice car.

A few years ago I had a white 1967 alpine with a 4 speed. It was a fantastic car for around town but at freeway speeds it was very annoying.

I sold that one and bought a med blue 1967 with an overdrive and it's a vast improvement.

Bob

 

[sierra_alpine]

Hi Luke, thanks for posting pictures of your alpine, it's a very nice car.

A few years ago I had a white 1967 alpine with a 4 speed. It was a fantastic car for around town but at freeway speeds it was very annoying.

I sold that one and bought a med blue 1967 with an overdrive and it's a vast improvement.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the insight and compliments. I do enjoy it very much, I'm looking to fix a few things wrong with it and drive it around for a bit, but ultimately will end up selling it on to someone who really loves these cars so that I can pay off my student loans.

 

[Jimjordan2]

Hello Luke, yes, that is an engine I built. This is a .60 overbore engine. New pistons, Delta cam, can't remember what they called the grind. Suggested for better performance. New valves, guides, bearings. New 60 pistons and rings. Crank was ground, new thrust washers. New water pump, oil pump. block was decked.
I had noticed the colors of the valve cover, which made me think it was mine, plus the guy that bought it was up in that area someplace. That's a standard rattle can color from Home Depot. Don't recall what color until I go out to the shop later.
Anyway I had given the guy a choice of the two barrel setup or the Stromberg twins, but obviously he elected to go with the Weber.
Good luck with the driving. If you decide to keep the 4 speed setup, let me know, I have the original 4 speed from my car from when I went with the OD. Worked great, just wanted the OD. Expensive conversion, but well worth it.
If you're just planning on selling it though, just replacing the 4 speed is a better choice in my opinion. Hard to recover the extra money for the OD.

regards; Jim Jordan

 

[sierra_alpine]

Hi Jim!!

Thank you for all the info on the engine I'm going to pm you with more questions etc

 

[michael-king]

Probably a KB grind on the cam.. Thats deltas usual wake-up grind...nice sports cam by all accounts

 

[Jimjordan2]

Thanks Michael, exactly, just couldn't get the grind off the tip of my tongue.

 

[Jeff_H]

Hi Jim,

if you are still looking for a gearbox or overdrive upgrade, let me know.

Jeff

 

[RootesRooter]

On the popping out of 3rd gear, there are two main schools of thought on what causes it. Neither involves synchro rings.

The first one I'm not too conversant on, but it involves worn bushings holding one of the shafts. Contact "Tiger Tom" for specifics.

The other involves the 3rd/4th gear shift fork. There is an arched surface on one side of the fork that gets worn. I've heard third-hand that the fork can be re-machined to build the surface back up and smooth it out. I don't know of anyone personally who went that route, but it sounds viable.

When my Series V started popping out of 3rd over 20 years ago, a fellow Alpine owner disassembled it and pointed out the worn area on the fork, which he said he had seen several times before. I was able to buy a replacement shift fork from Sunbeam Specialties. Sadly they are no longer available. The fork is actually meant for the later Hunter Range transmission but it fits Series V. Its slightly beefier in the crucial arch area, with a larger contact area. I had it installed and have put at least 100,000 miles on it with no problems.

Since you're planning to sell it fairly soon, I'd look around locally for another functioning tranny. They're still not all that rare or expensive.

You haven't mentioned whether you have an all-synchro box or a 1st-gear non-synchro box. Is reverse to the right and down? (all-synchro). If reverse is to the left and down, you've got a non-1st gear synchro). Non-synchro boxes are usually easier and cheaper to find, but Alpines with all-synchro are more desirable when it comes time to sell.

 

[sierra_alpine]

Thanks Rootes Rooster!

I located a replacement that I should be picking up soon. I have decided to keep it since I've grown to love it very quickly. Its a full synchro tranny.

 

[sierra_alpine]

There are a few things to fix

1. Weeping rear diff. very minor
2. Small oil leak not sure if it's even worth fixing since it's so minor.
3. Replace tranny
4. Swap out wheels and tires
5. Repair and replace vinyl for the soft top.
6. Cruise to the drive-in movies with a smile on my face and my wife next to me.